Summit Session: The Power of Regeneration to Transform Tourism

Learn more about the meaning of regeneration for tourism, why it has such transformative powers, and how we can not only survive but thrive with opening Keynote speakers and industry leaders Anna Pollock and Bill Reed.

Keynote Speakers:

• Anna Pollock - Conscious Travel

• Bill Reed - Regenesis Group

6 lessons from Anna's presentation:

1. Uncertainty and unpredictability are here to stay.

   "We can't impose our will upon a system. But we can learn to listen to what the system tells us, and work together to bring forth something much better."

2. Our vulnerability and interdependence are real and intensifying.

3. There are limits to "carrying capacity" but left alone, nature will heal.

4. The other existential challenges persist.

5. We're not helpless or innocent victims.

6. Resilience precedes thriving.

Regeneration is a VERB!
Definition: "To create the fertile conditions for life to thrive/flourish and to evolve"

Regeneration is NOT about LESS but MORE of the things that matter. More health, vitality, harmony, diversity, equity, opportunity, inclusivity, productivity.

Regeneration means asking different questions: "How do we create and sustain a visitor economy that tangibly enables resident individuals, businesses and communities to thrive, flourish and be healthy in every way?”

Key Takeaway from Anna: If sustainability is doing less harm, regeneration is about developing the innate capability of a system to self-organize, thrive and evolve.

Bill's presentation focused on the key features of regenerative development and highlighted several case studies, including the Loreto Bay and Playa Viva projects in Mexico.

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Summit Session Recap: Regenerative Best Practices

Learn about best practices by industry leaders in the regenerative space and the potential of a regenerative approach to tourism.

Panelists

• Bill Reed - Regenesis Group

• Ananda Fitzsimmons - Regeneration Canada

• Sam Brough - Kiwi Welcome

• Simon Heppner - Food Made Good

Highlights

Bill Reed - Regenesis Group

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Ananda Fitzsimmons - Regeneration Canada

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Sam Brough - Kiwi Welcome

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Simon Heppner - Food Made Good

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Summit Session: The TOTA, TRU and Planet Happiness Partnership

Gain a better understanding of the happiness and well-being movement, including an overview of Planet Happiness and the Happiness Index Survey, as well as ways to get involved with panelists Dr. Paul Rogers, Dr. Laura Musikansky, Dr. John Hull, and Kaitie Worobec.

Panelists

• Dr. Paul Rogers - Planet Happiness

• Dr. Laura Musikansky - Happiness Alliance

• Dr. John Hull - Thompson Rivers University

• Kaitie Worobec, TOTA Destination Stewardship Measurement Specialist

• Hosted by Mike Overend, TOTA Director of Sustainability

Summit Session: No Tourism Is An Island

Learn more about the importance of seeing the whole picture (The Future of Tourism’s #1 Guiding Principle) when it comes to recovery, creating our new normal, and unlocking new opportunities for tourism with Keynote speaker Jeremy Sampson.

Keynote

• Jeremy Sampson - The Travel Foundation

• Hosted by Kelly Galaski, Symphony Tourism Services Managing Director

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Highlights

Jeremy had us think about what “better" means when we say "build back better" and what exactly we should be building back. Urging us to challenge our thinking about what we want the future to be and to be intentional about or success metrics. We can think about diversity, inclusion, resilience, climate action, putting communities first and focusing on net benefits, and why we want tourism, vs simply thinking in terms of growth.

Jeremy introduced the Future of Tourism Coalition, of which TOTA is a founding signatory.

Some key indicators that a new normal is building are the fact that collaboration among DMOs and their communities is happening more than ever, there is economic investment happening focused on these important regenerative issues, and additionally new controls on demand for those destinations facing overtourism in the past are being put into place.

He shares a new model of destination management that many leading destinations are striving for, as seen in the image here.

We were glad to hear also that TOTA is on the right track launching resident sentiment data collection to gauge happiness in the region as part of putting communities first and now will be working together with the Travel Foundation as well! Stay tuned for details on that new partnership.  

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Summit Session: Future Of Tourism Coalition

Learn more about how the Future of Tourism Coalition’s background and Guiding Principles, as well as regenerative best practices and the power of connection with panelists Jeremy Sampson, Paloma Zapata, and Glenn Mandziuk.

Panelists

• Jeremy Sampson - The Travel Foundation

• Paloma Zapata - Sustainable Tourism International

• Glenn Mandziuk - Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association

• Hosted by Kaitie Worobec, TOTA Destination Stewardship Measurement Specialist

Summit Session: Thriving Communities

Learn more about what it takes for destinations and tourism organizations to develop vibrant, thriving economies and communities with Paula Amos, Lisanne Ballantyne, Stephanie Molina, and Sydney Redpath.

Panelists

• Paula Amos - Indigenous Tourism BC

• Lisanne Ballantyne - Tourism Kelowna

• Stephanie Molina - Tourism Wells Gray

• Sydney Redpath - Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Marketing Association

• Hosted by Shawn Bonnough, TOTA

• Special Guest: TELUS as one of TOTA’s corporate partners. “Social purpose” is at the core of TELUS’s business model and we are pleased to have Nimmi Kanji, Director of Community Investment, joining the session.